The ear has long-been a vehicle for self-healing, beginning with Chinese acupuncturists in 500 BC, as documented in the Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine. Today, the benefits of auriculotherapy, or ear acupressure, are increasingly recognized in western self-care practices.
Ear acupressure stimulates the nerve connections between the ear and the central nervous system. Applying pressure to defined points on the external or outer ear triggers nerve impulses between those points and the brain, thereby communicating powerful healing messages to the organ or system in which the health problem manifests.
The auricular acupuncture point, or acupoint, Shenmen is located at the apex of the triangular fossa of the external ear. The point Shenmen is one of the most recognized ear points and is indicated primarily for clarity and balance as well as relief of common ailments such as insomnia, anxiety, depression, and stress.
Current mechanisms for applying sustained pressure to the point Shenmen involve using an adhesive such as medical tape to secure a small ball, tack, magnet, or seed to the point Shenmen. These methods are inconvenient, difficult to employ without a trained specialist, and not amenable to reuse.
The increased popularity of ear acupressure and, more particularly, acupressure involving stimulation of the point Shenmen has created a need for improved ear acupressure methods and apparatus that provide a comfortable fit for most ears in a repeatable, nonintrusive, durable, and reusable manner.